Production of propylene from acetylene and methane.



ARTHUR HEINEMANN, OF WEST KENSINGTON, LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRODUCTION OF PROPYLENE FROM ACETYLENE AND METHANE.

No Drawing. Original application filed May 27, 1913, Serial No. 770,221.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

Patent No. 1,134,677, dated April 6, 1915. Divided and this applicationfiled March 16, 1915. Serial No. 14,871.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR HEINEMANN, asubject of the King of Prussia, residing at 223 North End road, WestKensington, London, WV., England, have invented new and usefulImprovements Relating to the Production of Propylene from Acetylene andMethane, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of propylene by the union of.acetylene and methane, and consists of a modification of the processdescribed in the specification of my application for Letters Patent ofthe United States Serial No. 770,221 (Patent No. 1,134,677). Accordingto the process described in said patent the union of the acetylene andmethane was effected in the presence of an intimate mixture orassociation of catalytic metals of common occurrence, such, forinstance, as metals of the iron group, such as iron or nickel, or metalsof the copper group, such as copper or silver, and noble metals of theplatinum class, such for instance, as platinum, iridium'and palladium.In the embodiment of the process described in said patent the reactionspace of the tube or vessel containing the intimate mixture orassociation of diflerent catalytic metals was heated, and this heatingwas efl'ected either by the application of heat to the exterior of thereaction tube or vessel or bypassing a current of electricity throughheating coils located within the tube or vessel.

According to the present invention, instead of using heat as aforesaid,the union of the acetylene and methane in the presence of said intimatemixture or association of different catalytic metals is efiected throughthe agency of actinic or chemically active rays. These actinic orchemically active rays may consist of violet or ultra-violet rays or ofsilent electric discharges.

A compound catalyst made according to the manner described in my PatentNo. 1,134,677 and containing a mixture of catalytic or contact metalspermits of a reduction in the temperature at which the union of theacetylene and methane takes place and of the technical production ofpropylene by the union of acetylene and methane. Such a compound contactbody may be prepared in the following manner :One of said contactmetals,for. example copper, is deposited in a porous body, for example pumicestone. either electrolytically or by the reduction or a copper salt. Thepumice stone or the like provided with a coating of copper or having itspores partly filled with copper is then dipped in a solution of a saltof a contact metal of the platinum class, for instance a chlorid ofplatinum, and is dried. The salt is then, if necessary, reduced. In thisway there is obtained a contact body consisting of two metals which!exert a mutual balancing effect on one another, the more active propertyof the platinum group metal being mitigated by the less active propertyof the other metal associated therewith, and allowing the desiredreaction to take place at a moderate temperature. Such other contactmetals can also be used in a finely divided state or in strip form, asfor example copper gauze,

copper wool, aluminium turnings or magnesium strips. Such bodies arethen prepared by dipping in a solution of a salt of a platinum groupmetal, such for example as a chlorid of platinum or palladium. Theplatinum group metal is then deposited by electrolytic action. Care musthowever be taken to immediately wash and dry the contact bodies soprepared in order to avoid destruction of the common metals of saidcontact bodies. In the use of such a compound catalyst in the presentinvention a mixture of equal volumes of acetylene and methane is passedinto a reaction tube or vessel containing said intimate mixture orassociation of catalysts. During the passage of the mixture through saidtube or vessel the reaction space thereof is subjected to the influenceof said actinic or chemically active rays. When violet or ultra-violetrays are used a suitable number of mercury lamps are supported in closeproximity to the reaction tube or vessel containing the intimate mixtureor associationof different catalytic metals. When however silentelectric discharges are used the apparatus by which the silent electricdischarges is produced are connected to terminals located at suitablepoints in the reaction tube or vessel.

Having now described my invention What I have invented and desire tosecure by Letlters Patent of the United States is as folows: 1. Theprocess of making propylene which comprises exposing a mixture ofmethane and acetylene to the action of chemically active rays in thepresence of a catalyst,

2'. The processof making propylene which comprises exposlng a mixture ofmethane and acetylene to the action of chemically active rays in thepresence of a catalyst comprising a platinum group metal and anothermetal.

. 3. The process of making propylene which comprises passing a currentof 'a mixture of methane and acetylene through a suitable reactionchamber containing a compound catalyst comprising a platinum group metaland'another metal ancl during such passage 15 exposing the mixture tothe action of 'chem-- ically active rays. X In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribinwitnesses. v

' THUR HEINEMANN. Witnesses: OSCAR A. HEINEMANN,

ERNEST HARKER.

